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“I didn’t realize this town had this strength!” Even though you may think you know a lot about your home town, you can always learn something new and unexpected by looking at objective data. The number of tourists is showing sluggish growth, the key industry is shrinking... hints for resolving such problems in the region could be hidden among the vast amounts of data.However, it is a formidable task to collect and analyze different kinds of data and determine their meaning. In such cases, you can rely on “RESAS,” the regional economy and society analyzing system, launched by the national government from 2015. It is a

Ideas for Creating a Vigorous Community

Major crops categorized by municipality can be displayed on a single map. This map shows the agricultural sector that is active in the region, and this information can be useful for agricultural promotional activities over wider areas.

The demographic composition of a municipality can be shown in a population pyramid categorized by age group. With the analysis of an extensive area combining more than one municipality and future estimation up to 2040 both possible, this tool is useful when considering measures against decreasing population.

This diagram shows transactions between companies in map form; enabling you to see the expansion of business beyond the borders of municipalities (this function is available only for municipality staff).

except for some specific functions. In addition to being used by municipalities to plan policies and to evaluate their effects, it can also be used by companies in creating business opportunities, or by regional residents to improve their communities.The national government also supports activities which utilize RESAS. It holds idea contests and workshops to discuss policies, so that a wide range of people can create ideas freely using RESAS. RESAS brings out new ideas for community building and business. We will examine the breadth of its functions through specific case examples of its use in the following page.

groundbreaking tool that creates easy-to-understand visualizations of a wide variety of data.RESAS consists of seven maps, including “population,” “industry,” “sightseeing” and “regional economy flow.” In addition to public information, it also collects a large amount of data from private companies. In addition to macro-analysis including changes in industrial structure, it is also searchable from micro-viewpoints such as determining how long tourists stay in popular stopping areas, or tracing the history of individual stores and offices in the shopping areas of the region.RESAS is openly accessible on the web and available to anyone,

With grid analysis, you can obtain information regarding people’s monthly/hourly visits to locations in each grid, set at intervals of 500m, so, you can accurately determine popular stopping places and design sightseeing routes which connect these places.

Now, community building and business creation based on the full utilization of data is coming alive in many places around Japan.RESAS (Regional Economy and Society Analyzing System), a tool that creates “visualizations” of data related to the regional economy, holds the key.

●�RESAS (in Japanese) *Please view RESAS with the Google Chrome browser.CLICK!

●�[METI MOBILE] RESAS produces visualizations of data from across Japan (in Japanese)CLICK!

Discover them by utilizing data!

This flow diagram shows regional money flow in three different stages, namely production, distribution and consumer spending.

This diagram shows data regarding the region and spending habits of tourists by nationality. It is useful for planning PR strategies tailored to the tourist goals for visiting specific regions.

This diagram shows the ranking of prefectures/municipalities by business start ratios, for comparison with other regions. By comparing with advanced regions, the position of your own municipality can be clarified and goals can be set more easily.

Regional Economy Society Analyzing System (RESAS)

Ideas for Creating a Vigorous Community

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CLICK! ●�Case examples of RESAS utilization, Case 18 (in Japanese)

CLICK! ●�Tomigusuku City, Okinawa Prefecture

in creating concrete visualizations of the situation.The greatest feature of RESAS is that the information on companies and the characteristics of the region are shown in charts, or displayed visually in an easy-to-understand fashion on the map. You can check the particular strengths and business trends in the place of interest without relying on consultants or analysis experts. For

example, if information about business trends of the companies in the city including the location and business category of their partners is available, methods of attracting

companies to the region can be considered more thoroughly.However, RESAS cannot solve every problem. For example, trends of local small businesses that are not included in the database of industrial maps must be researched by other means. It was also difficult to determine which industry category the company you are looking for belongs to. We believe that companies can be effectively attracted to a region by both maintaining an awareness of and utilizing both RESAS and other, independently obtained information on the linkages between different companies and between business sectors.

Triggered by the relocation plan of city hospitals committed to advanced medical care, Tomigusuku City has been considering attracting companies by turning the region to which hospitals are relocated into a “healthcare zone.” However, there was only a vague idea of which business sector to focus on attracting, and specific measures to invigorate the region were not clear. RESAS was useful precisely for that purpose,

The city analyzes RESAS data regarding the movement of foreign tourists by nationality, including data which shows the regions of the city where they stay for a longer time, and utilizes the results in deciding city tour routes or for creating strategic invitations. The city is planning to promote specific inter-industry collaboration based on the superiority of particular industries within the city, such as the food and IT industries; a fact which was confirmed through comparative analysis with industry in other cities.

The city is currently planning to establish a base for regenerative medicine by relocating general hospitals. The city utilized RESAS to confirm where industry was concentrated and to analyze relationships between different medical institutions based on their transaction, and is planning measures based on their new understanding of the connection between the companies and the region.

new perspectives such as the number of employees or the amount of added value, and it was found that the city has a comparative advantage over other cities in the IT industry. The IT industry had been a policy focus for the city. So the effectiveness of the city’s industrial promotion measures was confirmed through this analysis.Further, even though the food and beverage industry is relatively large in nationwide terms, it has problems in labor productivity. So, collaborating with the IT industry leads to higher added value in the manufacture of food. Therefore, the city decided to promote

is declining year after year. The fact the declining trend started before the Great East Japan Earthquake seemed rather surprising for them. They heard stories directly from farmers and learned the real problems of the region such as the shortage of successors, finally reaching the point of planning a solution.With the specific facts verified with RESAS, you can take confident action. I believe that through this contest students not only gained confidence, but also acquired a sense of independence because they were acting on behalf of their own town. This experience really solidified for me that these types of students are the most important thing in securing our future.

The Innovation Club was founded in July 2015, with an aim to incorporate the perspective of junior high school students in the local revitalization of Fukushima City. The contest was held as a part of the activities. The students engaged in activities aimed at developing knowledge on the regions they live in, and this was a precious opportunity to present what they had learned to that point.To students, RESAS is just like any other app. They started handling it without any problems, and gradually became enthusiastic

about the process whereby vague understanding can be clarified with the use of concrete data. Students

showed strongest interest in the data on orchard production in Fukushima City, which

CLICK! ●�Sapporo City, Hokkaido

By calculating the amount of added value per company in Sapporo City, the information and telecommunication industry ranked high, in 4th place.

It became clear that medical service is the strongest sector in Tomigusuku City, and it was confirmed that industry promotion measures focusing on medical industry are effective.

Planning Division, Policy Planning Department, Community-Building Policy Bureau, Sapporo City

Mr. Keisuke Abe

Imposition Team, National Health Insurance and National Pension Section, Citizens’ Health Department, Tomigusuku City Government

Mr. Hisashi Kinjo

CLICK! ●�Case examples of RESAS utilization, Case1 (in Japanese)

RESAS reveals things that were not easy to see before.We asked people engaged in regional revitalization for their thoughts on the advantages of RESAS and tips for utilizing it.What can you see using RESAS

Wi th RESAS , da t a on t he en t i r e

s t a t u s o f J a pan i s a va i l ab l e i n

one g l ance .

In municipalities, regional communities,

and schools

Thanks to the RESAS analysis, students developed an interest in Fukushima City agriculture and carefully interviewed the local farmers to ascertain the real problems of the region.

The IT industry

has the earning

power!

Sapporo City

Tomigusuku City

[Municipality]

[Municipality]

Sapporo City mainly utilizes RESAS to promote industry, such as tourism and IT. In addition to learning about the region, by comparing with other regions, it is possible

to understand the relative advantages and disadvantages of the region making

it additionally useful for considering future policy directions.For example, the structure of industries was analyzed from

inter-industry cooperation based on this advantage, including the development of new products and services, and expansion of sales channels.The city expects that by sharing the objective data obtained through RESAS not only with city government staff engaged in different areas, but also with relevant parties such as private companies and those engaged in community-building, it will lead to realizing even more strategic community-building in the future.

activities, such as the participants voluntarily continuing with the activities after the workshop, or residents starting a study group on their own to consider extensive collaboration. If these activities continue to advance, it will lead to finding NPOs and intermediate support organizations interested in such activities. In addition, in terms of business, visualizing the inter-corporate ties that had been relatively unknown by utilizing the RESAS patent data may lead to the generation of new business.We are hoping to continue our efforts to share the future vision of the region with the entire community. Upon doing so, RESAS should play an important role in understanding the current situation of the region.

Tama Shinkin Bank has concluded partnership agreements with nine municipalities in the Tama Region, and has repeatedly held various workshops jointly with different municipalities. Despite the fact that it is located in Tokyo prefecture, the Tama Region strongly resembles a rural, residential area in many ways and therefore has been considering the possibility of a future population decrease making local revitalization an important theme of the region for a long time. As expected, it is difficult to promote local revitalization as a single municipality. Therefore, we held RESAS study sessions and workshops to verify the ties within the region and between companies, jointly with various partners who are the members of the regional community, including residents, companies, universities and NPOs.Once we actually held the workshops, we were surprised at how interested participants were. Many people participated in every session, and the activities sparked other

Workshop held in Mitaka City with the purpose of involving the local community. Subsequently, activities are expanding, including the launch of a study group which is considering extensive collaboration.CLICK! ●�Tama Shinkin Bank (in Japanese)

Director, Value-Creation Project, Tama Shinkin Bank

Mr. Tsuyoshi Nagashima

Teacher, Innovation Club of Fukushima City Gakuyou Junior High School

Mr. Naoyuki Kakuta

CLICK! ●�Fukushima City Gakuyou Junior High School (in Japanese)

It shows that the medical service

industry supports the region!

The key to the local

revitalization is engagement by

the entire regional

community!

Shows at a glance where the region’s problems

are located

Tama Shinkin Bank

Fukushima City Gakuyou Lower Secondary School

[Regional community]

[Field of education]

Tama Shinkin Bank is holding study sessions and workshops on RESAS for municipalities, companies and regional residents, with a belief that collaboration throughout the entire community is essential for realizing the local revitalization of the community. The bank’s efforts have been developed into voluntary activities by the participants.

Innovation Club of Fukushima City Gakuyou Lower Secondary School won the grand prize of the “RESAS Policy Ideas Contest” for high-school–and-younger students held last year. The Club identified some problems in the region, and planned a sightseeing program as a solution.

Ideas for Creating a Vigorous Community

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the hypothesis more deeply using other data maps. In the process, we also asked them to focus on the actual opinions of the local community, because i t is qu i te important to consider both data and public opinion when planning policies.

What is the key to making the best use of RESAS?Ishiyama: At first, I wondered how I could connect this wide variety of data to policy planning. However, when actually used for the analysis of core businesses, I fully realized its effectiveness. The key words to effective utilization are “comparison” and “combination.” When data are compared with other regions/maps, the true significance and value of the data come to light.Uyama : I t is important to tai lor your use based on your particular interests and needs. Although the individual data are only points by themselves, they create a “plane” when seen together, on which the movement of the l ive economy is reflected. I believe there are many business opportunities for private companies hidden there.What po in ts d id you pay special attention to when explaining RESAS to municipalities?Uyama: We exchanged opinions on the kinds of measures that can be based on specific data, rather than simply explaining the mechanism. Each region always has some particular characteristics, even in mountainous areas with no major industry, so we t r i ed to demons t ra te t hose characteristics.Ishiyama: We asked the officials to envision policies based on the data presented by RESAS, and re-examine

Shimane Prefectures are using RESAS to develop inbound tourism strategies together. At a junior high school in Yamaguchi Prefecture, a class is being held on ideas for invigorating the region based on the regional data. We are scheduling events to actively encourage economic associations and companies to utilize RESAS, so that the utilization of RESAS can be further expanded.Ishiyama: The trend of collaboration

between different municipalit ies can also be seen in Shikoku.

Workshops were he ld fo r tourist associat ions, and

commerce and industry associations, in addition to municipal i t ies. We would l ike to further support this type of activity where various parties work together. The Shikoku Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry will also utilize

RESAS effectively this fiscal year in an effort to

build a growth industry mode l that generates a

virtuous cycle in the regional economy. We look forward to

seeing its continuous util ization result in the development of practical policies and strategy.

P l e a s e t e l l u s a b o u t t h e achievements and the efforts toward the future.Uyama: Now there are examples of cases where multiple municipalities are cooperating to uti l ize RESAS; for instance, five cities in Tottori and

forecasts and local comprehensive strategies. The consideration and planning of policies not based simply on experience/instinct/assumptions but on objective data are now becoming a trend.In addition, with RESAS, a variety of information on the region is now easily accessible not only by the staff of local governments but also by local residents and private businesses. There are also movements to actively become involved in local revitalization or generate new businesses with the information.

A year had passed since METI launched the Regional Economy and Society Analyzing System (RESAS) as the “ace in the hole” of information support tools for local revitalization, together with the Cabinet Secretariat Headquarters for the Creation of Community, Human Resources and Jobs.During this period, 1,706 out of 1,788 municipalities throughout Japan (47 prefectures, 1,718 cities, towns and villages, and 23 wards of Tokyo) utilized RESAS for the formulation of demographic

While the term “local revitalization” may be too vague to fully understand, by examining different factors, specific directions emerge, such as increasing overall activity in towns, revitalization of local industry, and tourism promotion. These specific insights and directions provide lucrative business opportunities.RESAS is a system that will continue to evolve in the future. Data on community building and the medical/welfare fields are scheduled to be added this fiscal year. With the continued improvement to RESAS, METI will continue to create business opportunities and promote local revitalization.

Support the utilization of RESAS by communicating good ideas

Business opportunities identified with RESAS

│Opinions of the person in charge

Improve staff education by holding workshops

The collection of utilization case examples comprises 19 model cases

There were 907 applications from throughout Japan for the Idea Contest

In order to expand the utilization of RESAS not only for the formulation of comprehensive, local strategy, but also to allow municipalities to plan measures, “Policy Planning Workshop(s)” are being held in various locations throughout Japan. Experts on industry, tourism and population are dispatched to these workshops, held basically once a month since last summer. The experts not only hold discussions with the municipality staff in charge, but also give advice on data analysis. Also, by transmitting video on the discussion being held and advice given, information and know-how related to RESAS are shared with municipality staff throughout Japan.

Municipalities throughout Japan are looking for new administrative methods based on data. From those efforts, 19 case examples were collected and published as model cases in the form of the “Regional Economy and Society Analyzing System (RESAS) Utilization Case Examples.” The collection explains the use of RESAS that led to the planning of specific policies, such as the formulation of inter-industry cooperation and industrial promotion strategy, or the creation of new jobs by attracting appropriate companies to the region, in an easy-to-understand manner. It contains abundant information that is useful for those who are trying to use RESAS for the first time.

The “Local Revitalization Policy Ideas Contest,” is a contest being held among citizens nation-wide who have used RESAS to develop policies aimed at invigorating local areas. There were 907 applications in total in the “High-school Students and Younger” category and “University Students and General Citizens” section from throughout Japan. From these 907 applications, only 10 applications proceeded to the final screening. The Prize from the Minister in Charge of Vitalizing Local Economies in Japan, Awards of Excellence, Prize from the Presidents of Sponsor Companies, and other awards were awarded to the winners, who gave very enthusiastic presentations.

(Photo from left) Regional Economic and Industrial Research Office, Regional Economic and Industrial Policy GroupWatanuki Section Head, Chikada Section Head, Yamaoka Deputy Office Director, Onuma Section Head from the Controlling and Analyzing Team

(Photo from left) Regional Economic and Industrial Research Office, Regional Economic and Industrial Policy GroupUeno Section Head, Imura Section Head, Shimura Section Head from the Development TeamThe Regional Economic

and Industrial Research Office is a new department inaugurated in February of 2015. Through development and operation of RESAS and the regional economic and industrial research implemented with regional Bureaus of Economy, Trade and Industry, it provides various data and supports regional economic and industrial policy development.

Realize a virtuous cycle through continuous utilization of RESAS!

From the Regional Bureaus of Economy, Trade and Industry

We asked the representatives from the Regional Bureaus of Economy, Trade and Industry who interact with municipalities

and companies on a daily basis, about how to make the best use of RESAS.

In order to encourage even more people to use RESAS for more different purposes, METI is collaborating with the Cabinet Secretariat Headquarters for the Creation of Community, Human

Resources and Jobs to hold events and compile case examples.

●�Chugoku Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry

●�Shikoku Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry (in Japanese)

CLICK!

CLICK!

CLICK! ●�RESAS Utilization Case Examples (in Japanese)

CLICK! ●�Local Revitalization Policy Ideas Contest 2015 (in Japanese)

■（第1-2-2図)観光マップ 外国人メッシュ分析

[2014年11月～2015年4月 北海道札幌市周辺 ※10kmメッシュで表示]

台湾、香港、中国、タイのいずれの観光客滞在

数も、札幌市と小樽市にある程度のボリューム

が見られる。

Point!

[台湾人観光客]

[香港人観光客]

[中国人観光客]

[タイ人観光客]

…小樽市周辺…札幌市周辺

104人

39人

121人

38人

18人

331人

107人

49人

R E SA Sを使った分析例

2

外国人観光客の周遊状況分析

Copyright 2016 経済産業省 地域経済産業グループ 地域経済産業調査室 All Right Reserved.

17

外 国 人 観 光 客 の 周 遊 状 況分 析

R E SA Sを使った分析例

札幌市では、外国人観光客増加のために、札幌市のみならず周辺地域の観光資源を相互に結び付けた

周遊促進の取組を検討するため、RESASを活用して外国人観光客の滞在状況と周遊状況を把握した。

●活用の背景

第1-2-1図は、札幌市及び周辺地域における、外国人観光客の滞在状況と周遊状況を示したものである。

これを見ると、札幌市と他地域間の移動において相関が最も高いのは小樽市であり、2位以降の地域と

比較して突出して高いことが分かる。

第1-2-2図は、2014年11月～2015年4月の期間で来訪の多かった台湾、香港、中国、及び重点対象

地域であるタイについて外国人観光客の滞在状況を示したものである。これを見ると、どの国の観光客も、

札幌市内と小樽市に多く訪れていることが分かる。

●分析内容

担当者からは、「札幌市を訪れた観光客は、観光地としての認知度も高く、電車で移動しても40分程度

でアクセスが良い小樽市にも多く訪れることが改めて認識でき、連携強化を検討する上で参考になった。」

との発言があった。

RESASを活用した国籍別の外国人観光客の滞在人口分析については、今回は札幌市と小樽市の双方に

滞在人口のボリュームがあり、連携して取り組むことが効果的であることが確認された。今後も、メッシュ分析

を活用するなど、ターゲット国ごとに広域での動向を把握し、その特性に応じて周辺自治体との連携を

検討していく予定である。

●得られた結論・今後の展開

2

Copyright 2016 経済産業省 地域経済産業グループ 地域経済産業調査室 All Right Reserved.15

経 済 産 業 省

地域経済産業グループ 地域経済産業調査室

地域経済

分析システム（

RE SAS）

利活用事

例集

Director, Planning Division, General Affairs Department,Shikoku Bureau of Economy, Trade and IndustryLocal Revitalization Senior Specialist,Local Revitalization Support Office

Mr. Takeshi Ishiyama Mr. Masaki Uyama

Assistant Director,Planning and Research Division,

General Affairs Research Department,

Chugoku Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry

METI

Ideas for Creating a Vigorous Community